Notice: This is not a cut in your existing benefits.

Transcription

1 IPF RETIREMENT Blueprint A Publication of the Bricklayers & Trowel Trades International Pension Fund Special Issue Spring 2017 Notice: This is not a cut in your existing benefits. Dear Participant: This special issue of the IPF Retirement Blueprint focuses on the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) and the annual notice that law requires. The PPA has been discussed in annual mailings from the Fund Office to participants, employers and local unions. This notice is also being sent to employers, pensioners and inactive participants. The first notice concerns the PPA and can be found on page 2. In the Plan Year effective January 1, 2017, the Plan was considered in endangered status under the tests set out in the PPA. As noted in the box below, the Plan is certainly solvent, and remains in relatively strong financial position. Pursuant to the PPA requirements for endangered plan status, the Trustees instituted a Funding Improvement Plan in 2010 and a subsequent Rehabilitation Plan in 2016 after IPF was considered to be in critical status in that year. Returning to endangered Status in 2017, bargaining parties should continue the % PPA increase and the applicable annual increases from 2013 to Please note that those bargaining parties operating under the Statutory Alternative schedule move from a 4% annual increase to a 6% annual increase in the 2017 Plan year. The Rehabilitation Period ended on December 31, 2016 and a new Funding Improvement Plan must be adopted by November 26, 2017, but at this time, no additional contribution rate increases other than those required by the 2010 Funding Improvement Plan are expected. This provides stability for future bargaining party negotiations as the construction industry rebounds. International Pension Fund Zone Status Improves, Projected Solvency Continues for 30 Years The IPF Board of Trustees is pleased to report that the Fund s Pension Protection Act zone status has stabilized from Red or Critical Status, to Yellow or Endangered Status. This development can be attributed to changes the Plan has made under the Funding Improvement Plan enacted in 2010, the subsequent Rehabilitation Plan enacted in 2016, as well as a slight increase in contributions reported to the Plan during the 2015 and 2016 Plan years. In addition, the Fund s actuary has confirmed that IPF is able to pay expected benefits and meet expected expenditures over a thirty year period commencing January 1, 2016 and running through December 31, The actuary made the 30-year projections using plan provisions, participant data, IPF financial information and expectations of industry performance to project plan solvency. The second notice starts on page 2 and relates to the Plan funding in The second notice also provides information on Plan assets, participants and its investment policy. You will also note sections on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and additional information available from the Fund office as noted in previous issues of the IPF Summary Plan Description Booklet and Annual Reports. The IPF Trustees are committed to the sound administration of your Plan so as to provide you with the pension benefits that you earned. The Plan has always paid its benefit obligations timely and remains committed to doing so in the future. If you have any questions about this notice, or any other questions regarding your pension benefits under the Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the Fund office at , via at dstupar@ipfweb.org or write to David F. Stupar, Executive Director, Bricklayers and Trowel Trades International Pension Fund, 620 F Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC Sincerely yours, David F. Stupar Executive Director 1

2 BRICKLAYERS & TROWEL TRADES INTERNATIONAL PENSION FUND EIN: PN: 001 This notice is provided pursuant to section 432 (b) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code ( Code ) and Section 305(b) (3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( ERISA ) to inform you of the status of the plan for the plan year beginning on January 1, The notice is being provided to participants and beneficiaries, the bargaining parties, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and the Secretary of Labor. The plan s actuary certified that the plan was in endangered status in 2017 because its funding percentage on January 1, 2017 was projected to be less than 80%. The funding percentage compares the value of the assets to the value of benefits accrued at that time. Federal law requires pension plans in endangered status to adopt a funding improvement plan aimed at restoring the financial health of the plan. The law permits pension plans to reduce, or even eliminate, certain benefits and increase contributions as part of a funding improvement plan. If the Trustees of the Plan determine that benefit reductions or modifications are necessary, you will receive a separate notice in the future identifying and explaining the effect of those reductions. In addition, any such reductions or modifications would only apply to participants and beneficiaries whose benefit commencement date is on or after April 30, If you wish to obtain more information about this notice, you may contact Mr. David F. Stupar, at , or in writing at 620 F Street, NW Suite 700, Washington DC, ANNUAL FUNDING NOTICE For Bricklayers and Trowel Trades International Pension Fund This notice includes important information about the funding status of your multiemployer pension plan ( the Plan ). It also includes general information about the benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ( PBGC ), a federal insurance agency. All traditional pension plans (called defined benefit pension plans ) must provide this notice every year regardless of their funding status. This notice does not mean that the Plan is terminating. It is provided for informational purposes and you are not required to respond in any way. This notice is required by federal law. This notice is for the plan year beginning January 1, 2016 and ending December 31, 2016 ( Plan Year ). How Well Funded Is Your Plan The law requires the administrator of the Plan to tell you how well the Plan is funded, using a measure called the funded percentage. The Plan divides its assets by its liabilities on the Valuation Date for the plan year to get this percentage. In general, the higher the percentage, the better funded the plan. The Plan s funded percentage for the Plan Year and each of the two preceding plan years is shown in the first chart below. The chart also states the value of the Plan s assets and liabilities for the same period. Year-End Fair Market Value of Assets The asset values in the chart below are measured as of the Valuation Date. They also are actuarial values. Actuarial values differ from market values in that they do not fluctuate daily based on changes in the stock or other markets. Actuarial values smooth out those fluctuations and can allow for more predictable levels of future contributions. Despite the fluctuations, market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan s funded status at a given point in time. The asset values in the second chart below are market values and are measured on the last day of the Plan Year. The chart also includes the year-end market value of the Plan s assets for each of the two preceding plan years. Endangered, Critical, or Critical and Declining Status Under federal pension law, a plan generally is in endangered status Valuation Date 01/01/ /01/ /01/2014 Funded Percentage 56.75% 60.27% 59.7% Value of Assets $ 1,411,787,880 $ 1,392,955,580 $ 1,351,381,551 Value of Liabilities $ 2,487,618,867 $ 2,311,193,881 $ 2,263,063,108 12/31/ /31/ /31/2014 Fair Market Value of Assets $1,399,673,379* $1,366,433,092 $1,436,768,834 * Unaudited estimate. 2

3 if its funded percentage is less than 80 percent. A plan is in critical status if the funded percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). A plan is in critical and declining status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent (run out of money to pay benefits) within 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status or critical and declining status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Funding improvement and rehabilitation plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The plan sponsor of a plan in critical and declining status may apply for approval to amend the plan to reduce current and future payment obligations to participants and beneficiaries. The Plan was in critical status in the Plan Year ending December 31, 2016 because the funding level was below 65% and the plan was projected to have a funding deficiency within five years disregarding the extension to the amortization charge bases. In an effort to improve the Plan s funding situation, the trustees adopted a rehabilitation plan on May 15, 2016 which removed certain adjustable benefits most notably early retirement subsidies. You may get a copy of the Plan s rehabilitation plan, any update to such BAC Trustees James Boland Tim Driscoll Gerard Scarano Carlos Aquin Gerald O Malley Henry Kramer plan and the actuarial and financial data that demonstrate any action taken by the Plan toward fiscal improvement. You may get this information by contacting the plan administrator. If the Plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status for the plan year ending December 31, 2017, separate notification of that status has or will be provided. Participant Information The total number of participants and beneficiaries covered by the Plan on the valuation date was Of this number, 28,278 were current employees, 25,736 were retired and receiving benefits, and 23,281 were retired or no longer working for the employer and have a right to future benefits. Funding & Investment Policies Every pension plan must have a procedure to establish a funding policy for plan objectives. A funding policy relates to how much money is needed to pay promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to comply with the funding requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended from time to time. The Board of Trustees monitors the level of funding with the assistance of the Plan s enrolled actuary and the Plan s independent fiduciary. Once money is contributed to the Plan, the money is invested by Plan officials called fiduciaries. Specific investments are made in Employer Trustees Gregory Hess Matthew Aquiline William McConnell Robert Hoover John Trendell Anthony Marra accordance with the Plan s investment policy. Generally speaking, an investment policy is a written statement that provides the fiduciaries, who are responsible for Plan investments, with guidelines or general instructions concerning various types or categories of investment management decisions. The investment policy of the Plan is as follows: The Board of Trustees has appointed Segal Marco Advisors as independent fiduciaries to be responsible for the investment of the Plan s assets. This means that Segal Marco Advisors is responsible for creating the Statement of Investment Policy and for selecting investment managers, allocating assets among these managers, and monitoring the activity and performance of these managers. The investment managers are responsible for the management of the assets assigned to them by Segal Marco Advisors that include allocations among allowable asset classes, selection and disposal of individual securities, and diversifying portfolio assets under the managers control. Commingled investment vehicles, including mutual funds, may be used. To the extent assets are placed in commingled funds, it is understood that the practices of such commingled funds will be in accordance with the funds prospectus or investment guidelines. The Segal Marco Advisors Management Committee will be responsible for selecting asset classes that are appropriate for The Fund and determining optimal weights. The Committee will utilize information and research provided by the Segal Marco Advisors Research Group in order to achieve the most efficient and optimal asset mix for The Fund while limiting risk. Asset classes that may be included are: Equities Fixed Income Real Estate Equity Private Equity Fund of Hedge Funds including portable alpha strategies Continued on page 4 3

4 Other Alternatives including, but not limited to Diversified Beta, Commodities, Derivatives, Infrastructure Segal Marco Advisors shall be responsible for voting the proxies of all securities held by the Fund and for providing the Board of Trustees with an annual report of all such proxy votes cast on behalf of the Fund. In accordance with the Plan s investment policy, the Plan s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, (see page 4) as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets. Under the Plan s investment policy, the Plan s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets: Asset Allocations 1 Interest Bearing Cash 0.8% 2 US Govt. Securities 0.00% 3 Corporate Debt- All other 0.00% 4a Corp Orate Stocks- Preferred 0.00% 4b Corp Orate Stocks- Common 18.90% 5 Partnership/Joint Venture 8.40% 6 Value of interest in common/collective trusts 35.70% 7 Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 2.30% 8 Value of interest in investment entities 22.2% 9 Value of interest in registered investment companies 0.00% 10 Value of funds held in insurance Companies 0.00% 11 Buildings and other property 0.00% 12 Other Investment 6.40% 13 Mutual Fund 0.00% 14 Real Estate 5.30% For information about the Plan s investment in any of the following types of investments common/ collective trusts, pooled separate accounts, or investment entities contact the plan administrator. Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report Pension plans must file annual reports with the US Department of Labor. The report is called the Form These reports contain financial and other information. about the plan. You may obtain an electronic copy of your Plan s annual report by going to and using the search tool. Annual reports also are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. Annual reports do not contain personal information, such as the amount of your accrued benefit. You may contact your plan administrator if you want information about your accrued benefits. Your plan Percentage administrator is identified below under Where To Get More Information. Summary of Rules Governing Insolvent Plans Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans that become insolvent, either as ongoing plans or plans terminated by mass withdrawal. The plan administrator is required by law to include a summary of these rules in the annual funding notice. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for that plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan s available resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at the level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notice of its status to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected, including loss of a lump sum option. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only benefits that you have earned a right to receive and that cannot be forfeited (called vested benefits) are guaranteed. There are separate insurance programs with different benefit guarantees and other provisions for single-employer plans and multiemployer plans. Your Plan is covered by PBGC s multiemployer program. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $600, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant s years of service ($600/10), which equals $60. The guaranteed amount for a $60 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $ Thus, the participant s guaranteed monthly benefit is $ ($35.75 x 10). 4

5 Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $ Thus, the participant s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $ ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In addition, the PBGC guarantees qualified preretirement survivor benefits (which are preretirement death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies before starting to receive benefit payments). In calculating a person s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under a plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. For additional information about the PBGC and the pension insurance program guarantees, go to the Multiemployer Page on PBGC s website at Please contact your employer or plan administrator for specific information about your pension plan or pension benefit. PBGC does not have that information. See Where to Get More Information, below. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact Mr. David F. Stupar at , or in writing at 620 F Street, NW Suite 700, Washington DC, For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor s employer identification number or EIN is Notice of Summary Plan Information Bricklayers & Trowel Trades International Pension Fund TO: All Bricklayers & Trowel Trades International Pension Fund Participating Employers and Employee Organizations DATE: 31 August 2016 FROM: David F. Stupar, Executive Director This notice from the Bricklayers and Trowel Trades International Pension Fund, EIN , Plan 001 ( IPF or the Plan ) is for the 2015 Plan Year. On July 29, 2016 the Plan filed its 2015 Plan Year Form 5500 (Annual Return/ Report of Employee Benefit Plan) with the Department of Labor. This notice is being issued in accordance with Section 104(d) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ( ERISA ) and provides a summary of the information contained in the IPF s Annual Return/Report. (A) Contribution Schedules and Benefit Formulas: IPF participating employers make contributions to the IPF at various hourly contribution rates established in collective bargaining agreements negotiated between Local Unions and Union contractor associations and employers. Employer contribution rates range between $.10 per hour to $7.95 per hour. For Years of Credited Service accrued through March : The monthly benefit accrued per Year of Credited Service accrued through March 31, 2009 is related to the level of the employer contribution rate as follows: $2.77 for each $.10 of contribution rate up to $.30 per hour plus $2.31 for each $.10 of contribution rate over $.30 through $.60 per hour plus $2.08 for each $.10 of contribution rate over $.60 through $.80 per hour plus $1.85 for each $.10 of contribution over $.80 through $1.50 per hour plus $4.62 for each $.10 of contribution rate over $1.50 per hour. For Years of Credited service accrued on and after April : Effective April 1, 2009, each $.10 per hour contributed to the Plan results in a future benefit accrual rate of $1.40 per month for each Year of Credited service (1500 hours) accrued. IPF pension benefits accrued as of March 31, 2009 were not reduced or eliminated. In addition IPF participating employers are required to remit an extra fifteen percent (15%) of their respective IPF contribution rates in order to retain the post April 2009 accrual rates as referenced above. This extra fifteen percent (15%) contribution rate is not recognized for benefit accrual under the Plan. If an IPF participating employer does not remit the extra fifteen percent (15%) contribution, its employees will accrue benefits under the IPF equal to fifty percent (50%) of the reduced accrual rate or $.70 per month for each $.10 in the IPF contribution rate for each 5

6 Year of Credited Service accrued beginning with the first date after April 1, During the plan year there were no modifications to the contribution schedules and associated level of benefit accrual other than the changes described in Section E, Status Under ERISA 305, below. (B) Contributing Employers: The total number of employers obligated to contribute to the IPF for the 2015 Plan Year was three thousand two hundred fourteen. (C) Employers contributing more than five percent (5%) of total Plan contributions: There was no single employer that contributed more than five percent (5%) of the Plan s total contributions for the Plan Year. Employer contributions to the Plan total $79,169,910 for D) Status under ERISA 305: The Plan s actuary certified that the Plan was in endangered or yellow zone status for 2015 per Pension Protection Act requirements. Accordingly, the Plan had adopted three schedules of benefit reductions and contribution increases designed to improve the funding of the plan. A copy of the funding improvement and supporting actuarial and financial data can be obtained by contacting the fund s Executive Director. The three schedules are summarized in the chart below. (E) Employers Withdrawing from the Plan: No participating employers withdrew from the Plan during the preceding Plan Year. The aggregate amount of withdrawal liability assessed against these employers was $0.00. (F) Merger Activity: There were no plan mergers during the Plan Year. (G) Variations to Funding Standard Account: The Plan applied for and received a five (5) year extension of the Fund s amortization period under Section 431(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code beginning with the 2009 Plan Year. The Plan did not use the shortfall funding method (as such term is used In ERISA 305) for the Plan Year. (H) Right to Receive a Copy of the Annual Report: You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report for the 2015 Plan Year, the Plan s Summary Plan Description and any Summary of Material Modification, at no cost, by making a written request to the office of David F. Stupar, Executive Director, at 620 F Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C Please note that you are entitled to receive only one (1) copy of the above-referenced documents during any one (1) twelve month period. Schedule: Preferred Default Statutory Alternative Contribution Increases: Benefit if % contribution increase adopted Benefit if % contribution not adopted 3% per year in 2013, 2015 and annually through 2021 All contracts must pay the 15% increase $0.85 per $0.10 No accrual $1.40 per $0.10 $0.40 per $0.10 Not applicable $0.70 per $0.10 4% annually 2013 to 2016, and 6% annually 2017 through 2021 Benefit Statement Notice This is to remind you that you have the right to request a statement of your benefit accrued under the plan. You may apply for a statement once every 12 months, and we will furnish a calculation of your accrued benefit and tell you if you have enough service to be vested in your benefit. We will provide this calculation within 30 days of our receipt of your written request. Benefit estimate requests should include your name, mailing address, IU member number, be made in writing, and directed to: David F. Stupar, Executive Director Bricklayers & Trowel Trades International Pension Fund 620 F. Street, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, DC pensionestimate@ipfweb.org 6

7 Expanded Access, Information, and Assistance Available through the BAC Member Portal The Fund office encourages participants to register for the BAC Member Portal to monitor hours, receive benefit-related information, and to stay in contact with the Union and International benefit plans. Participants can review annual statements and BAC SAVE Retirement Savings Plan available account balances 24/7. Participants can also access the BAC Job Information Network, check in when traveling for work in other jurisdictions and access International Pension Fund (IPF) and International Health Fund (IHF) plan summaries and forms. Smartphone and tablet users can also take advantage of applications, for both ios and Android platforms, and receive all Portal capabilities on their mobile devices. Registration is Fast and Easy Get started by registering online now at member. bacweb.org for the BAC Member Web Portal by following these simple steps: Log onto BAC s homepage at Have your IU Number ready (located on the upper left of your Union card) Have the address of your active account ready Click on the Member Portal banner Click on Create an Account Follow the instructions on the screen Sign up for the receipt of IPF/BAC SAVE/IHF materials electronically Record your username and password for future use Recovering your Portal Password From time to time the Fund office receives phone calls from Portal users who have misplaced their usernames and passwords causing loss of access. Users can restore access to the BAC Member Portal by re-setting their passwords as follows: If you have forgotten your password you can retrieve it by going to the Portal login page and clicking on the link under Forgot your Password? You will need to go through three steps in order to retrieve your password: Verify your identity Answer your security question Enter your new password Users can restore their Login information as follows: On the first step, you will need your username, IU Number, Last 4 digits of your SSN, and your Last Name as it appears on your BAC Union Card. Your username is the address that you originally registered with. If you cannot remember what address you registered with, you can call Portal support at (510) and have your account reset so that you can set up a new username and password. Next, you ll be asked to answer a random security question that you set up when you originally registered for an account. Finally, you ll be able to set a new password. The password must be at least 6 characters long. It is best to use a unique password that includes no personal information (i.e. first name, last name, your child s name, phone number, etc.) and would be hard to guess. After you click Submit, you should be able to log in to your account using the new password you set up! About Passwords: If they are shorter than 8 characters, they are very weak. Go for a length of 11 characters. If you use the same password for many online sites and one site is hacked, all your information on all sites becomes vulnerable. So use a different password for each online account. Passwords that have uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are strongest. Changing your password periodically is a good practice. You can use a password manager tool to keep track of all your passwords. Many tools run on Windows, the Web, Android, and Apple devices. Search for password manager to find one that suits you. Some of them are free. 7

8 IPF Retirement Blueprint A Quarterly Publication of the... Bricklayers & Trowel Trades International Pension Fund 620 F Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WASHINGTON, DC PERMIT NO Address Service Requested Track Your BAC SAVE Retirement Savings Annuity Plan Balances Electronically with the BAC Member Web Portal As a member of a Local that participates in the BAC SAVE Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), you can now monitor your current and hardship account balances electronically through the BAC Member Web Portal. Get started today by registering online now at member.bacweb.org.